أَلا طَرَقَ الناعي بِلَيلٍ فَراعَني

وَأَرَّقني لَمّا اِستَهَلَّ مُناديا

Alas, the herald of death knocked by night and struck terror in me,

And he robbed me of sleep when he raised his voice calling out.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ لَمّا رَأَيتُ الَّذي أَتى

أَغيرَ رَسولَ اللَهِ أَصبَحتَ ناعيا

So I said to him, when I saw the news he had brought:

"Is it the death of someone other than the Messenger of Allah that you announce?"

فَحَقِق ما أَشفَيتَ مِنهُ وَلَم يبل

وَكان خَلِيلَي عِدَّتي وَجَماليا

Then confirm the tragedy you were on the verge of telling, regarding him who did not recover,

For my Companion was my support and my source of pride.

فَوَاللَهِ لا أَنساكَ أَحمَدُ ما مَشَت

بِيَ العِيسُ في أَرضٍ وَجاوَزَت واديا

By Allah, I shall never forget you, O Ahmad, so long as

The white camels carry me through the land and traverse the valleys.

وَكُنتُ مَتى أَهبِط مِنَ الأَرضِ تلعَةً

أَجِد أَثَراً مِنهُ جَديداً وَعافيا

And whenever I descend from a slope of the earth,

I find a trace of him, whether fresh or fading away.

جَوادٌ تَشَظَّى الخَيلُ عَنهُ كَأَنَّما

يَرينَ بِهِ لَيثاً عَلَيهِنَّ ضاريا

A noble warrior from whom the horses scatter, as if

They see in him a fierce lion lunging upon them.

مِن الأَسدِ قَد أَحمى العَرينِ مَهابَةً

تفادى سِباعَ الأَرضِ مِنهُ تَفاديا

One of the lions, protecting his den with awe-inspiring might,

Such that the beasts of the earth shun him in utter avoidance.

شَديدٌ جَريءُ النَفسِ نَهدٌ مُصدّرٌ

هُوَ المَوتُ مَغدُوٌّ عَلَيهِ وَغاديا

Stern, bold of spirit, imposing and broad-chested,

He is Death itself, whether visited in the morning or attacking at dawn.

أَتَتك رَسولَ اللَهِ خَيلٌ مُغيرَةٌ

تَثيرُ غُباراً كَالضَبابَةِ كابيا

Raiding cavalry came against you, O Messenger of Allah,

Stirring up dust like a gloomy, gray fog.

إِلَيكَ رَسولُ اللَهِ صَفٌّ مُقَدَمٌ

اِذا كانَ ضَربُ الهامِ نَفقاً تَفانيا

Advancing toward you, O Messenger of Allah, was a vanguard rank,

When the striking of skulls became a trade of mutual annihilation.